Kingdom Hearts: Heartless of Hearts
by Vegeton
Summary: A boy halfheartless, halfhuman, must travel worlds to save his beloved and seal the keyholes to restore balance to the universes and restore his own world. Please READ & REVIEW!
1. Into The Darkness

I've been having these weird thoughts lately...like is any of this for real or not? I've found my own

thoughts to confuse myself, they seem like echoes of a voice farther away than my own but still

it picks away at my very mind. But it's not the only thing I've heard or seen, in my dreams I see it,

it's huge, it's dark, it's coming for me.

It's always the same, I go to sleep and it's there. This, this door. And when I open it, it feels like

I'm falling, but I can't scream, I can't move, I can barely think and it's like I just don't care anymore.

And then he appears, or it, this monstrous figure. A thing with immense power, it's huge, I can feel

it's darkness because it even darkens my own heart and it sickens me and it haunts me, taunts me,

and tries to take me away. It's horrible, it's petrifying howling stops me in my tracks, but through it

all in the swirling void that is it's mouth I can hear a distinct voice state to me in a faint but stern tone

"this world has been connected. Tied to the darkness... soon to be completely eclipsed. There is so

very much to learn. You understand so little..". These words give me such chills I try to ignore it all

but it's only a dream, right?

Waking up that morning Kevin rolled over looking at the time and saw that it was only 8:30 he rolled

his eyes and slapped his forehead as he lost balance and fell out of bed "uh ah!" he shouted as

he hit the floor. Dragging himself up off the floor he slowly walked to the bathroom dragging his feet

like a zombie as he went inside and closed the door. Soon after he immerged from the steam filled

room refreshed by a shower, and a new set of clothes. He had a big day planned out ahead of him,

he was to meet his girlfriend before going to meet his friends at an amusement park.

Skipping down the stairs Kevin made his way out into the bright sunlight which burned down on him.

He took a glance left and right before jogging across the street and making his way for the bus stop

so he could meet up with his beautiful girlfriend Melissa. Mel and Kevin, had recently celebrated

their one year anniversary of dating and Kevin was as happy with her as ever, only wish she was

more affectionate sometimes. The bus began to zoom by him and his eyes went wide as he began to

run fast trying to catch it, he pushed himself harder and harder and the bus stop and he dashed by the

door and ran back and hopped inside and put his money in the slot and took a transfer and sat down.

When he got to the metro he could feel the madness of the metro system already, screams and cries,

busy people being busier, crazy people acting crazier. Putting his transfer in the turnstile he pushed

on through and took a metro transfer and then skipped down the stairs to the platform where he began

to wait for the metro glancing down the tunnels, the darkness of the tunnels reminded him of the

howling mouth of the creature in his dream. Two bright eyes pierced through the darkness and the

howling started, Kevin stood back abit but relaxed it was the metro pulling up, he was becoming abit

too paranoid for his own good. As it came to a stop and the doors opened, Kevin walked inside and

sat down in one of the single corner seats, he liked to sit there because he could still watch all

the people around him but didn't have to sit near them to be pulled into their craziness.

The metro stops seemed to pass by at a blinding speed, all one long blur that felt like a strange

dream, the signs, the advertisements, the garbage on the floor the writing on the walls it all looked

strange and shaky. Kevin brushed it off, everything is shaky on the metro it's moving and jolting

around at a high speed. Before he knew it, it was time to get off. He had made it to Berri-UQAM,

he heard a strange buzzing sound in the back of his head, it reminded him of an alaram, but he had

suffered a few migraines recently so he brushed it off. He went to catch the other metro and got on

and made his way to Jean Drapeau, where he'd get off to meet up with Mel and friends to go to

LaRonde for the day.

He was there, so soon, it seemed so strange, the stops and time had flown by as if he had been

sleeping this whole time when all along he had been wide awake. Pulling himself up the stairs he

walked out of the metro station and saw Mel, Steff, Vanessa, Jesse, and Maud standing there

waiting for him. Kevin gave a smile and walked over to them as they then started to walk towards

the theme park, telling jokes, and laughing along the way. Things seemed jittery and shaky still

in Kevin's eyes, he thought a migraine was coming on but it seemed so different, he stopped

talking for awhile because of this hollow feeling inside. Mel looked at him and worried, but as

Steff was first to ask "are you okay Kevy?" she put her hand on his shoulder, he was totally

phased out in his own little world and then shook abit and looked at her "yeah I'm fine, I'm good"

he told her reassuring them a few times.

When they got to the entrance they all paid for their tickets and entered the park, the decision

was now for what ride to go on first. There was several decisions but as always with most people

the first ride to go on is the Monster, one of North America's few remaining wooden roller coasters

but it also happened to be the tallest one in North America. They all stood waiting in line still

joking around and laughing all the way through the line until they were ready to get on the ride.

I sat down beside Jesse, and Mel beside Steffy, even though I wanted to sit beside her. As everyone

got safely buckled in, the ride started and began to pull it's way across the track, and up the slope

the infamous clanking of the track and cart started as it pulled it's way towards the big drop. But

then something started to happen, the ride shook more than usual and the sky seemed to get awful

gloomy real fast, as if night were pulling itself in, the ride came to a sudden stop but it was still shaking

through all this the only thing I could think of is Mel's safety.

Then it happened, the most unbelievable thing ever. The dream creature, the large howling beast, rose

up from the long stretched shadows of the roller coaster, it's immense tentacles latching onto the tracks

and it's arms raised high up in the air it's glowing eyes seemed to only be starring at me. It grew even

darker outside, I was struck by fear as I sat there and not even the screams of the people on the cart could

break my silence, as the shadow engulfed everything.

But then, I woke. Laying back at home in my bed, it was all a dream, the entire day was just part of

my imagination. Sitting up I pressed my hand to my head and tried to wake myself up some more as

I then stood up and headed for the bathroom to take a shower and get ready, it was once again the day

to go to LaRonde but this time in a more down to earth reality. The same day again for the most part I

caught the bus and caught the metro and made my way to Jean Drapeau, the only changes is there

wasn't any weird shaking and no buzzing in the back of my mind like an alarm clock. Meeting up with

everyone it was the same jokes, but unlike before I wasn't phasing out from the shaking I was worried

about the upcoming moments in which we arrive to the amusement park and get on the Monster.

We all paid for our entry and as we walked in the park I grabbed Mel's hand and held it tightly and

pulled her to me and said "no matter what happens next, I love you" she gave me a weird look but

that's understandable, but had I let my dreams get the bets of me and I've become paranoid even

crazy maybe? We make our way for the Monster, I hold her hand firmly still and my heart beats

faster, my comical self is gone and the laughter fades from my ears I'm worried, I'm concerned,

I'm excited. Part of me wants to turn and run and take them all away, but another part of me wanted

the darkness to swallow me whole, at least then all my worries and concerns would fade away in it

and any pain would now be gone. We wait in line, I can see that everyone around me has a worried

look over me, I remain silent as we get to the front of the line.

The ride begins, the seating the same, the smells the same, even the girls across the way are talking

about the same stuff. It's all the same as we get pulled to our possible deaths up the track awaiting the

big drop, but I know the drop is bigger than expected and darker. I looked up and saw the sky, it was

becoming darker and darker as if a horrible storm was heading our way, it was the same like before.

Jesse was even talking to me about the same thing, but his voice was drowned out, the cart stopped

at the top of the track but it was still shaking and then it happened, the darkness, the shadow crept

from the surface. But it wasn't the same, I unbuckled myself and pushed out of the cart to hear the

voices of friends shouting at me, but I didn't care I jumped over to where Mel and Steff were and buckled

them. "Come on! Were getting out of here and now!" I shouted, Mel was hesitant she didn't know

what was going on and I looked her in the eyes and said "if you love me, believe in me" I extended

my hand to her and she took it as the three of us headed down the track.

Loud howling deafened us as the creature grew up to the cart and saw that we were now gone and

our other friends now following us, it knew now that I had seen this and that some how I had received

help from a higher power. It slammed it's fists into the tracking cracking it in two, the other people

scrambled to get out of their carts and to safety as the creature began to spit out off spring from it's

liquid like body, these creatures attacking people all over the park. Even with our head start the

darkness was too great and too fast for all of us as Mel looked back and saw her friends be pulled

down with the darkness and she screamed to my surprise, but I tugged on her and pulled her with

me. And then the shadow grabbed hold of Steff and tore at her pulling her down with it, Mel stopped

and ran back to help her friend, I turned and shouted "MELISSA!" as it now lashed out and grabbed

her, the howling seemed to grow louder.

No, not her, why? A sick part of me wanted to leave them all, save my own life and leave them all

behind, but then I knew what I had to do, I ran towards them both and grabbed them in my arms.

It grew dark, we had been swallowed by the beast, no matter what don't let go. I couldn't even see

them even though I could feel them in my arms, my grip was slipping, I couldn't let go, not now,

not ever. There was a small light that burned it grew larger, it seemed to come from my chest, I

wondered could it be my caring and my love for my friends and my girlfriend that shined through the

darkness. My hand was slipping Mel was drifting away and she fell from my grasp as I screamed

loudly for her, her voice to faint as she fell away from me, Steff was still in my other arm but I didn't

know how long I could hold onto her and how long I would have to, but before long even she slipped

from my grasp. I had failed them, I had failed myself.

I woke up, again. But this time it was all different, nothing was like before. Where was I? It was some

city, nothing like I had ever seen before, it was massive, full of tall buildings of a strange design.

I felt so alone but there was people all around me passing by and talking into to each other as cars

zoomed by, I didn't know how far from home I was and little did I know, I was farther from home then

I'd ever be ever again. The people seemed so strange, some looked like as if crossed between

animals and humans, some were small and some were huge, some people looked just human but

at the same time they were so different. I felt so out of place, then out of the voices there was one

that stood out and spoke to me but from where..I looked down and saw the strangest thing yet.

"You look kinda lost..you okay?" the little guy said, I just stared down at him, I had never been spoken

to by an ant before. "Uhm..I'm..lost I guess..where am I? Who are you?" I asked him as he smiled back

at me and said "Well..your in Ceron City, and I'm Flik the residential ant..unfortunately..I haven't been

able to find anyone I know yet..who are you?" he asked me, I smiled abit "I'm Kevin..I'm looking for

some friends of mine myself..they were swallowed by some thing..". Flik looked up at me and said

"the..heartless..", I didn't know what he meant was that the creature that ate my friends? Lowering his

head he said "they..they're a race of things..I can't explain..but I know someone who would be able

to explain it much better than I can..follow me!" he took off, he was kinda hard to follow since he was

so tiny.

I chased him through the crowded city sidewalk turning nearly crashing into people and then he turned

down an alley way and I followed him down it, but then he vanished, I had lost him, and I had lost all

chance in finding my friends, I had failed myself and Mel. But then something, something caught my eye

the alley way seemed blurry just ahead, I stood up and moved towards it and reached my hand out as

the alley seemed almost gel like. I pushed my way through and I found myself in a small library hidden

away from the public, it was magically hidden by someone, and then I saw Flik signaling me to follow him.

And as I moved past the book shelves, papers, and scrolls I came to an opening where there was a large

desk covered by old books and scrolls and a person behind them reading a scroll, Flik ran up the desk

and said "Hey I brought you someone, he's lost too". The scroll lowered and behind it was a mysterious

man with white hair, wearing all red, his mouth covered, and a hat with a feather in it on his head. Looking

at me he gave me a strange look as he said to me "I am the Red Mage, and you're different..", I looked at

him and said "I'm Kevin, wait..what do you mean different?" . There was a pause of silence but then he said

something that struck me deep within my very soul, "you're both human and heartless.." the Red Mage said

to me as I stood there not wanting to believe I was like the very thing that took my friends away from me.

"What! NO!" I demanded more answers I wanted to know more this couldn't be true, he walked over to me

and then paced around me. "There's no mistaking it..you are part heartless, some where deep inside you

you're unsure and your heart is never sure of what choice to make, that's probably why the heartless came

to your world so they could get you.." Red Mage told me, it stunned me that I was to blame for all of it, I

was the reason I lost Mel, it really was all my fault. "But.." Red Mage said which made me come back from

my saddened state, "but what!" I asked as he stopped in front of me and said "you may be able to change

this world, other worlds, and save your friends.." "but how?" I asked him and he responded "you're part

heartless, it is possible that you can freely travel worlds like they can, but you'd have to access your darkness

and be able to control it..do you think you can do this?". I thought it over it was the only way, and I'd have to

save Mel, I love her too much to let her go, and Steff and the others I can't just leave them, I wasn't sure if

I could control it or not but it was if I could or couldn't it was I had to.

"I must do this, I must save her, I must save them" I told him as he walked back behind his desk and picked

up a scroll and walked back to me, and handed me the scroll. "There are others who are trying to seal the other

worlds but there's only so much they can do alone, you must seal the worlds that you can to save your friends,

this scroll will tell you where these broken seals are in each world if you follow it's magic it will guide you" he told

me as I looked at it and saw an arrow glowing on it, and then looked back at him "yes, this world has yet to be

sealed, Flik and I can help you but we can only go that far and then your on your own..". Shaking my head in

agreement, none of this work really mattered I just wanted Mel back, I didn't know what part it was that urged

for her my heartless side or my human side, was it selfish or loving?

Moving from the warm and dusty library of magic tomes we came through the magical barrier and out into the

alley again. I hadn't even been here no more than thirty minutes and I was already being driven into some journey

of heroism and danger, I was no hero, at most I was an artist I drew images of battles and bravery I didn't fight in

them, but this time I had to. The Red Mage was so confident in his abilities, and Flik was abit over confident, me?

I didn't have any magic, or some intelligence capable of building gadgets like either of them, what did I have? My fists?

My uncertainty was no trait a great hero would have, I just tagged along behind the two of them, one brave red mage

and his curiously excited ant friend who had more courage than a creature his size should.

Following the scroll's directions it brought us to a building, a sky scraper that seemed to pass the heavens. We went

inside as it seemed that's where the scroll was leading us, into the lobby, it seemed normal people hustling and

bustling trying to get things done, we made our way for the elevator. Stepping inside, I felt out of place, but I'm sure

anyone would feel out of place in an elevator with half-man half-animal people around you, a overly talkative ant, and

a mysterious magical man by your side. We kept in the elevator watching the scroll waiting for it to show us where to

go, the top floor is where it lead us, we got off and saw we were now on the roof of the large building. The air seemed

thin on the top of the building, and from there we could see it, a glimmer in the distance, the arrow did not bring us to

the seal, it brought us high enough to see the seal. The seal was the sports stadium in the massive city, the way it was

shaped was almost like a key hole, we would've never noticed it from ground level.

Red Mage tilted his hate, and chuckled "never been one for sports, but it looks like were heading for the stadium". Going

back to the elevator, something in the air seemed different a blur then more of these blurs, sparks and strange voids exploded

in which the same type of creatures from the amusement park came out they wanted a fight and it appeared Red Mage and

Flik were ready to give them one, but was I? The Red Mage shot a several fire balls at them as Flik pieced together something

as they worked it out I began to panic not sure of what to do, then I felt it the sharp pain, it struck me lightning and I felt rage,

rage like I had never felt before. Lifting my hands I clenched my fists and rapidly began to dig them into the heartless creatures

and kept pounding away in a vicious darkness I didn't even know I had, my hatred for them taking away my love was just

as strong as my love for her. After a few hits they'd explode into smoke, Flik had built himself a cannon of sorts but I didn't

care my fists were all the cannons I needed, I almost enjoyed murdering these creatures.

Ever dispatching the heartless we made our way down the elevator and out into the streets again, this time we knew where

we were going and we weren't slowing down, Red Mage casted a haste spell on us that seemed to double or even triple our

speed. Making our way through the busy city streets we zoomed by cars and people, but as we made it to the sports stadium

a large explosion caught our attention and we turned to see what it could be but we already knew what else could it be. A large

round heartless of immense size had appeared with several of his smaller comrades, the large one threw cars to the side as

it slammed it's feet around causing chaos, we knew what needed to be done. Now I knew I had the power and I pounced into

action nailing the large heartless in the gut with my fist, only to be thrown across the street, his gut was like painful jello. Tossing

magic left, right, and center Red Mage attacked him over and over as Flik loaded up his canon and fired at him as much as he

could.

Standing up, I cracked my knuckles and darted at the smaller heartless and made easy work of them. But this large one was

difficult, I watched as Red Mage and Flik attacked it and their attacks barely phased it, moving around it I climbed on top of

a truck and readied myself then leapt into the air towards the large heartless and gripped my hands together as I came down

on it with a powerful smash to the back of it's head, it fell over crushing a car. And as I stood on it's back I ripped away with my

fists into it's back as it exploded into smoke like it's smaller team mates I had just killed. I fell to the street after it vanished as

we then continued on our way to the stadium, what had to be done had to be done. The stadium was like any other stadium

back on Earth, sure it was shaped like a giant keyhole but every place has their own designs. The field appeared to be that of

a football field, but what did we have to do? The scroll pointed to this spot and what is it we had to do there.

But then the ground beneath our very feet rumbled, we jumped back as it seemed the field itself came to life. The ground lifted

up and it had glowing yellow eyes, it was a massive creature made of dirt and grass, it's arm was the field goal post and it roared

loudly dust flying from it's giant mouth as a red light shined from it's chest showing an emblem of a black heart lined in red

it stretched down abit and had a cross of thorns across it. We all readied ourselves and stood back, we were ready for anything

Red Mage raised his hands and ran at the creature throwing flames at it from his hands, as Flik stayed back readying some

sort of gadget like before. A little more confident in my new abilities I ran towards the creature to back up Red Mage, as I got

close enough I dug my feet into the dirt that was it's body and climbed up it and slammed my fist into it's forehead, or what

I thought was it's forehead. It roared once again before smacking me off of it, raising it's pitch fork goal post of a hand it

slammed it down but I rolled out of the way.

It was stuck, it's own hand caused it to immobilize itself, now was our chance. Getting up I ran at it again, running up it's arm

I torn my fist into it's face as it cried out in pain, Red Mage stood back and casted some sort of water spell as I watched as this

ball of water formed in his hands but shot out like a geyser, it slammed into the beast knocking it free of being stuck but

we could tell the water caused it a good amount of pain. Stumbling back up the monster tried to attack us again, we knew now

to taunt it into getting it's hand stuck, I shouted at the monster "you could hit a wall your so stupid.." I couldn't think of

anything else but it seemed to work, it grunted then tried to kabob me with it's goal post but only to get stuck again.

Flik completed his gadget with a confident "ah ha!" as he ran off to the side of the field, I brushed it off for now, was he retreating

or did he have an idea? Red Mage threw another water spell at the beast as I pounded my fist into it's face, a combination of

brute force and magic. It freed itself again as we moved around avoiding it's attacks and trying to taunt it into throwing it's large

arm our way again, and it did and got stuck once more, but this time Flik was ready for battle as he whistled to me. Running over

as fast as I could, "what is it!" I asked him as he attached something to a broken fire hose, "take this! Ram it into the beast and

turn it on!" Flik said with a grin as I grabbed the fire hose acknowledging his idea with a smile. The heartless monster was nearly

free it tugged at it's arm, but I ran up it's arm one last time and slammed the fire hose into the back of it's head and turned the valve

Flik had made for it. Water poured into the beast and began to flush out of it as it roared loudly as it's arm that it tugged on pulled

apart, the creature now was becoming mud from the water.

As it diminished I looked at the Red Mage and said "now what?", he paused because even he didn't know exactly all the answers

in the dealings of the world keyholes. And before we could really think it through a chill ran down my arm as a dark sinister

looking key appeared in my hand, it was large and it's hand guard was that of long bat wings, my hand felt dirty almost burnt

while holding it. Flik and the Red Mage approached and looked at it, as a feeling over took me a power controlling me that I

didn't understand, as I drove my new keyblade into the ground. Doing this the stadium rumbled and the entire building began

to glow and shined as a thunderous sound locked the world away from the heartless creatures. "Well done, Kevin" Red Mage said

as he continued on "now to find your friends you must go onward to other worlds and seal them in conquest to find the world

in which your friends have fallen..but you must keep control of the darkness inside you or it will eat away at your very soul and

you too will become like the very creatures you hunt", I just nodded not thinking of the entire grandeur of this task. The force

took me over again as I lifted my hand to the sky unwillingly and the keyblade shined brightly and then in a flash of darkness

I was gone, away, Flik and Red Mage just looked on and hoped for the best.

Where was I going now? Who would I run into next? Can I control what's inside me? Can I survive? I must survive, for them,

for her, I must, because without her all I am is a heartless, just like the creatures who I fight the creatures who seem to be

part of one collective, one objective, to absorb all life and love in the universe not just my universe but all universes. And they

must be stopped, with every last ounce of heart I have I will fight them back to the dark and dank depths of their weary realm.


	2. Sleepy Hollow

In a flash that seemed to last mere seconds I found myself pulling my way from the very darkness

that had once swallowed me whole and using it to my own advantage. I had apparently come to

a new world, one that had yet to been sealed, but this one was so different than the last. It looked

old, rural, and dark, not a very pleasant place but what place could be pleasant after your own world

had been technically destroyed or swallowed.

Standing up I had found myself to be in a forest at night, it wasn't exactly where I'd like to be

but you can't always get what you want. Walking in the direction of some faint lights in the

distance I tried to find a near by town, but the forest gave off a very eerie vibe as I walked through

as if the forest itself was watching my moves and it was on my every nerve. In the distance I

could see a small town with a few candle lights on in the lanterns over the various door ways of

the small homes, but there was a man resting in what appeared to be a look out. "Who goes

there?" he shouted to me as I came closer, I yelled back "I'm Kevin..I'm sort've lost!" I kept

walking towards him but his face grew pale and wide as if stunned. But then I found out why

as I hear galloping behind me, fast and fierce, I turned to see a massive figure riding on a black

horse wearing torn black clothes and armor, but what struck me the most is that the rider had

no head.

Almost too scared to move, I force myself, I roll out of the way of the headless horsemen and

my keyblade appears in my hand as if sensing a battle. Standing back up I try to take a strike

at the horsemen but he evades my every swing and disappears into the forest again, I walk backwards

my sword still ready as I head for the look out post. The man just sat there dumb founded holding

a rifle and a blank look on his face, as he looked at me I asked him "what on earth was that!" I

waited for any kind of answer as he slowly came out his frozen scared state. "That!..that was

the headless horsemen..the most horrendous thing around these parts!..or any parts!" he said

scared stiff yet shaking like a scared child, I kept on my way there was things that needed to

be done.

The town was old, like the pilgrim days of my home world. The night wasn't my favorite time it

was creepy and lonely, but there always felt like a part of me enjoyed it, the shadows the darkness.

Coming upon a church I thought it'd be the best place to hold up a night, I knocked on the door to

receive no answer, I then proceeded to pull it open and go inside, I called out "hello? anyone?" and

waited as I sat in the front row pew. The priest came out slowly and sleepily as he looked over at

me and said "what is it my son?", I glanced up at him and grinned "just came into town, thought the

church would be a place I could stay for a night while waiting to continue on my journey.." I finished

as he came closer and nodded his head.

So I stayed there over night, to get ready for tomorrow, I knew some how this world's seal and

heartless had to be some how bound to the headless horsemen. And as I feel asleep the darkness

inside me was more awake than I, for as I fell into darkness I saw him, or me, or it. It looked just like

me but different, it was an echo, black and white tv special from the fifties gone wrong, it looked

crazed and dangerous, wild yet mysterious. I stood and watched it, it didn't move, but then it

launched at me fast, what do I do? It hit me and went through me, was I the echo? Shooting up

from where I had fallen asleep, it was morning and it was time to find the seal of this world and shut

it.

Leaving the church, the town was bright now but still had a heavy darkness over it, a thick blanket

of a mist. Stepping off the creaky steps of the church, I planted my feet in the solid cold dirt of

the ground and looked around to see anything unusual, I did however see a lanky goofy looking man

talking to his horse, that was sort've weird but people always talk to their pets.

The tall lanky and somewhat egotistical man bragged to his horse of how he was going to get

Katrina, the daughter of the most wealthy and powerful man in town. "Oh oh, I must be off..I have

a class to teach!" he said as he left his horse and headed for the small school house, but as he

walked up the stairs a voice shouted out "watch your step Crane!" as then the goofy looking guy

turned and kept walking and tripped over his own large feet and stumbled down the stairs rolling

around several times before coming to a shaking halt. A small group of men laughed, one

particular dashing and arrogant man in the middle who called out to him, that man was

Brom Bones the dashing man who also fought for the love of Katrina.

Walking over part of me knew to help this man up, but another part of me just wanted to laugh

along with the other guys. "Here let me help you.." I said as I helped him up onto his feet, he

dusted himself off "I'm fine, I'm fine" he said as he brushed back his hair abit and made sure

he was fixed "thanks for you help stranger, but I'm just fine, a man of my stature needs no

assistance" he said reassuring himself. "Some people these days just have no manners.."

he said looking over at the group of chuckling men, "who are you stranger?" he asked me

and I told him "I'm Kevin, and you are?".

He straightened his collar and dusted himself some more before standing up straight and proudly

saying "I am professor Ichabod Crane, well respected teacher of Sleepy Hollow!", I just paused

mainly because I wanted to laugh at him again. Rolling my eyes and my head I looked at him and

asked "have you seen anything strange around here lately?", he paused and looked at me and then

looked around and said "people speak of the horsemen, but I've seen other things in my forest rides

weird creatures..strange beings..". I knew what he spoke of and knew where ever the heartless

are the seal couldn't be too far, I asked Ichabod "do you think you could show me this place where

you saw these creatures later on?" he went silent and scared but shook his head yes before

entering the school house.

Turning from the school house doors, the group of men stood not too far away. When I went to

walk away and scope out the town, a voice yelled to me "hanging out with that clown makes

you just as big a joke as him" I turned around with a grin and said "do you wish to see how funny

I can be?" I was never one to taunt a fight but part of me wanted a piece of him. He just looked

at me and laughed and walked away, I knew he was more afraid of a fight than he was confident.

I strolled through town to kill some time before the school let out for the day, there wasn't anything

interesting in this town, but come night fall I bet you the horsemen makes his existence known.

Then as I came around again I saw the school doors open, I jumped the stairs and looked inside

and saw it was empty the air dead and laughter and jokes of school children gone. "Dammit!"

I said to myself as I stormed out and noticed that Ichabod's horse was gone as well, looking over

at an old woman I asked "where'd Ichabod go!" and she looked blankly at me "ol broom boy? hehe"

she laughed as I shook her abit "where!" yelling at her she answered me "into the forest! That way!".

Running in the direction the woman had given me I had to catch up I didn't want to be stuck in Sleepy

Hollow, I had to find the keyhole and seal it and find my friends. Running through the forest I could see

the rotting trees, the blanket of fog, the lack of animal life, and just the atmosphere alone made me want

to turn back or choke. In the distance I could see Ichabod picking flowers with his horse beside him, I

ran for awhile longer before catching upto him. "You didn't wait for me Ichabod!" I shouted as he turned

scared, "oh my no, I had to pick some flowers for my dearest Katrina" he answered me as I just looked at

him and it made me think of Mel abit. "So where did you see these creatures Ichabod?" I tried getting

an answer out of him that wasn't involving Katrina, and he finally gave me one "just around here..strange

looking things, all black creepy yellow eyes that glow like fire", I knew the surrounding area is where

they must be, but where to start it is a big forest.

As if on key, the blurs appeared and out of them came dog like heartless, the growled at me and surrounded

me as Ichabod continued to pick flowers not noticing. My keyblade knows it's time to fight and appears in

my hand, I never liked to fight before but now I thirsted for it with my soul and raised my weapon as I

drove it into the darkened flesh of the heartless creatures and massacred them. While my back was turned

one managed to jump me but I didn't let it phase me I rammed my keyblade into and struck it down along

with the others. Ichabod stood up with a goofy smile "I got all I need!" as he looked at me and saw me

breathing deeply and smoke fading, "oh my" he said.

Leaving the forest the sun began to set and the galloping of a horse could be heard in the distance behind us

and when night falls in Sleepy Hollow no one is safe in the forest. Ichabod climbed on the top of his horse and

I yelled at them to go and they took off, but as I awaited for the horsemen to come at me he turned and was

heading objectively for Ichabod, but why? "ICHABOD!" I yelled as I ran after them unable to chase them down

while they're on horseback, Ichabod turned and noticed the horsemen and screamed and tried to go faster.

There was something different about the horsemen now, he had what looked like a flaming pumpkin on his

head and actually laughed.

Pulling his pumpkin head off he threw it at Ichabod Crane, knocking him off of his horse and throwing him to

the ground where he cried like a girl and screamed "please don't take my head mr.horsemen!". The laughing

grew louder as a few of the men from town came out from the forest and the horsemen opened his coat, he

was actually Brom Bones in disguise to scare Ichabod, "stay way from Katrina, Crane!" he shouted as they

started to laugh again and walked away back to town.

Helping Ichabod back up on his feet he kept his head low even though I lifted him up, he just wept to himself

the love of his life he could not have because another did not want to give her up. "Ichabod..don't let him get

to you..fight for Katrina" I told him as he stood up more, "it's useless..Brom is bigger, better, and more liked

than me it's sad to say..but it's true" he said in such an out of character tone. I patted his shoulder and said to

him "listen Ichabod, love is something you can't give up on..never, if it wasn't for love there'd be no light..Brom

isn't the problem, you are, you really have to believe in yourself!", he looked up at me and smiled his smug

smile, I could tell Ichabod was back to his normal self..as normal as can be anyway.

When we got back to town Ichabod had readjusted himself and dusted himself off, little did I know is that there

was a small gathering of townsfolk for a small party near the church, that's why Ichabod got the flowers for

Katrina. Walking over we could easily see Brom trying to impress Katrina with his masculinity, it more appeared

like stupidity, I pushed Ichabod forward towards her and he stumbled closer nervously to her. Taping her shoulder

Katrina turned to him, "well hello Ichabod" she smiled as he tried to speak just mumbling and fumbling words as

he held out the flowers to her, Brom in the back giving a dirty look. "For me? Thank you Ichabod, that's so sweet

of you" Katrina blushed as Ichabod grinned nodding his head as the two walked arm and arm where they walked

to the dancing area where several other couples were dancing to the sounds of violins. Brom frowned angrily.

The party was going well, but why did I care? Why was I bothering to help Ichabod! I should be looking

for the seal, who cares about these people! Why was I thinking so selfishly?

Music came to a halt as everything peaceful was broken by a loud scream of a girl who came running, a

heartless chasing after her wildly, and others followed after it. Brom Bones quickly grabbed a rifle and ran at

them "don't worry my lady I'll protect you!" he said shooting the heartless with little or no effect. The keyblade

appeared again and I grinned looking at the heartless as I engaged them in battle, slicing them apart and watching

them explode into smoke, but the last one I put my keyblade away and tore it apart with my bare hands in

anger. It was time to go into the forest, I was sick of the heartless and I needed to seal this world and find

my friends.

"I'm going into the forest, I'm going to stop this evil and stop the horsemen" I shouted to the townsfolk who

gasped as Brom stepped forward with his rifle and demanded coming into the forest to dispatch the horsemen

himself to prove something to Katrina. Then something unexpected, "I'll go with you!" Ichabod stammered as

he stepped forward, I knew he had some courage in him some where just needed some inspiration. Really

I didn't care if they followed me or not, as long as they didn't get in my way, the three of us headed into the

forest.

It was dark, the ground was moist from the fog, but I think it was moist with the fear of my two followers. But

then again I wasn't exactly not afraid. Through the darkness we could hear rustling in the leaves around us, was

it the wind or the heartless, we proceeded through the forest, it was nearly as dark as the heartless. But then

we knew we were where we had to be, we could then hear the tormented scream of the headless horsemen,

and it was horrifying, it sent chills down my skin and through my bones and made me want to drop dead myself

the poor soul tormented and driven through insanity and back again he wasn't headless he was heartless.

He came riding out of a strange tree, the horsemen now corrupted by the heartless, and now bared their emblem

on his armor, he headed for us and raised his sword. Ichabod screamed like a school girl and fell to the ground the

sword passing over him as he cowered in the dirt, Brom grunted and idiotically ran at the horsemen firing his rifle

only to be hit by him when he passed by with his horse and thrown back on the ground. Brom jumped up and fired

again, but when trying to reload his old fashioned rifle he was slammed into a tree by the horsemen and knocked

out, the rifle landed beside the feet of Ichabod Crane. Using my keyblade I whipped it into the legs of his horse trying

to make the horse fall over but it didn't work, then I tried jumping and attacking him and I was able to strike his chest

revealing his dark saddened and chaotic heart but before I could strike his heart he threw me down nearly stomping

me with his horse.

As I tried to pull myself up without getting stomped, and Brom lay unconscious, Ichabod eyed the rifle and picked

it up uncertain of what he was doing as he loaded it up and tried to hold it properly "oh what do I do! what!..ah!" he

pointed it at the horsemen and closed his and took a big gulp and pulled his reluctant finger down on the trigger, as

the large bullet came soaring out of the barrel and Ichabod went flying back arms and legs swinging as he hit a tree.

Even though Ichabod fell down, the bullet continued on and threw itself straight into the horsemen's chaotic and

shriveled heart, and as it pierced it the whaling screams stopped and he fell of his horse and faded away as so did

his horse. Standing up I looked over at Ichabod with a smile, he had finally proven himself, and in the corner of my

eye I saw a glimmer on a large deformed tree in which the horsemen came from. Stepping over to the tree I raised

my keyblade and in a flash the keyhole sealed and I turned to Ichabod and said "take care of Katrina, tell her how

you destroyed the horsemen and saved the day!" and then the darkness consumed me and I disappeared.

Another world down, countless more to go. Hopefully the next one will have Mel, or someone. I just want to see

a familiar face to feel like I'm home even if it's just for a few minutes, who knows what's coming up next.


	3. NotreDame

The darkness spreads open into light and I kneel, and look up into this new world's sky another world

so familiar to mine yet so different. Now I was getting less disoriented from this new manner of travel,

the dizziness diminished and the shadow had faded away. Standing up and turning my face away

from the clear blue sky, I looked across the peaceful country side and listened to the sounds of the

near by flowing creek, the sounds of laughter in the distance. Walking along the beaten dirt road I

was reminded of walking through the park back home, the sun beating down on me and the sounds

of nature blessing my ears with their good graces.

Along the dirt path my worries faded abit, my concerns seem to be cast away. Bells in the distance

I can hear them loud and clear, even louder as I get closer, the town in the distance looking less like

a town and more like a city. French voices, could I be home? Back in Montreal after only a few short

trips across universes and timelines, is it possible?

But stepping towards the city even more, the buildings were different, medieval yet new. The smells

that carried on the wind weren't the smell of fast food and gas like the streets of Montreal, but the

smell of roasted meat and burning wood. As I got closer I could see happy children running by

playing games like I used to when I was younger, their clothes tattered and old fashioned, a old

woman shouted at them as they knocked over a stand of apples. Moving into the city there was

somewhat of a festival going on and people dancing and cheering, I looked up and the sun cast

down on me as I laid eyes on the Notre-Dame church a massive beautiful work of architecture.

Spinning around it went to my head, this world was so much more bright and massive in comparison

to the small town of Sleepy Hollow.

My mind had gone blank as I looked on at what appeared to be Paris, France. Just then I remembered

I reached into my pocket and yanked out the scroll that Red Mage had given to me, the arrow pointed

towards the Notre-Dame de Paris, how'd I see that coming it seemed nearly overly obvious but the

getting to the keyhole may be more difficult than I think, it always is.

Moving more into town there was a happy party going on, a festival, people every where dancing. Then

a strange man came dancing towards me, he looked like a clown or what would be called a jester at

this time period. "Why the glum look!" he grinned at me, I tried to block him out as he pranced around

me, I had grown fed up and just wanted to seal the keyholes. "Look I don't got time for you clown.." I said

to him as he face grew long as his overly hyper ego seemed to deflate as I then walked off.

Trying to pull myself through the crowd, the stage caught my eye a gypsy dancing on the stage. I turned

away and kept going, bumping into a strange cloaked figure I kept moving and ignored him. My eyes

fixated on a person who stood out of the crowd, he or she seemed entirely out of place, the person wore

a sleek black cloak sealed by a silver zipper and the hood inside the darkness was so pitch black that

you couldn't even see a face, but then one eye, one golden eye glared through the darkness. "You!"

I shouted through the crowd at the top of my lungs as I rammed my way through the people rudely

towards the figure as it noticed me and turned and made haste away. Chasing him I turned down corners

and jumped over crates and barrels as I turned down an alley way he had turned and found nothing, the

person had vanished into the air, like magic. Pausing I breathed in the air and relaxed, I had lost him or

her but it didn't change the fact that I was going to seal the keyhole, just seemed a little strange is all.

Back in the crowd, a hood figure caught the eye of the beautiful gypsy but this incident was caught by

the eye of one Claude Frollo, who grinned menacingly before turning to his guards and nodding his head.

The guards stepped down from the priest and made their way for the strange man to take him away, they

grabbed him and dragged him away from the gypsy and pulled him towards Notre-Dame de Paris. It was

strange, I could feel something coming from the priest, a darkness.

It was time, I made my way for the Notre-Dame de Paris, I was going to do this fast and get it over with.

Grasping the door handles I yanked the large door open and went inside, the sun light shined through

the rose window, it was beautiful a real unique and stunning piece of art. Looking at the scroll again the

arrow pointed towards a door, so I followed it and it lead me to a very large stair case so I had to climb it

there was no other choice. The stairs seemed so lengthy but it gave me time to think, about Mel and

the others, but thinking about it made me question all this hard work and why I was trying to find them

and if it was worth it. Like some voice inside me was trying to twist how I feel, like some sick creature

was trying to gain control of me, I decided to think of TV shows back home to get my mind off of it.

"Somebody save me, I don't care how you do it, just save" I sang to myself walking up the stairs to

keep my mind straight, what better to think of than Smallville.

As I got to the top of the stairs the sun light poured it's way through the architectural gaps and holes

in the beautiful Notre-Dame, it was an amazing sight for the eyes, and there was the bell but I heard a

noise. Moving over to the bell I ran my hand along it and studied it but then a voice frightened me "hey!"

I jumped and turned around my keyblade appearing as I swung it towards the voice and the small figure

jumped away. "What the hell!..a talking gargoyle!" I shouted as it peered over at me the fat and comical

looking gargoyle waddled over to me with a smile. Looking at him strangely I watched as two other gargoyles

came out of the shadow of the bell tower, it was so strange, I had never seen talking and moving statues

before. But then again I also had never seen a talking ant and a headless horsemen before either.

Then I heard footsteps climbing the stairs of the tower towards the door, the gargoyles gasped and hopped

into their positions and stayed as still as real statues as I rolled behind the bell and hid in a dark corner.

Bursting open Quasimodo was thrown into his dank bell tower he called home, as the soldiers laughed at

him, Frollo came from behind the guards laughing as he moved closer to Quasimodo. "You're to stay in

the bell tower! You're to never leave here, the people out, the people won't accept you! They can't! And

neither can that gypsy girl!" Frollo shouted at Quasimodo, his tone was uncertain of reassurance or

orders. He turned and left slamming the door shut and locking it, as Quasimodo pulled himself up, his

already droopy face seemed to sink even more in his sadness. The gargoyles hopped over to him to

comfort him, I could tell they were his only friends, it's sad but true the world is a superficial place and

sometimes it's hard to keep fighting and keep telling yourself things will get better, but Quasimodo

didn't seem like the type to easily give up as he went to plotting with his little set of model figures and

Notre-Dame.

Stepping out of the darkness of the corner I spoke out to Quasimodo, "hello.." I said softly as to not

scare him, he turned and saw me but hid his face quickly and moved away "don't look at me!" he

shouted. "Look it's alright, we all have our problems..right now I'm looking for my friends, I'm sort've

lost.." I told him as he looked at me and said "friends?..I don't really have any friends, it's better to

have friends and lose them then to never have any at all" as he stopped hiding his face and walked

over to me. "I'm Quasimodo" he said brushing his hair back a bit as I smiled and shook his hand and

said "I'm Kevin, now you got a friend Quasimodo", a voice in the back of my head and deep in my

soul whispered "why? why befriend him! destroy him!" but it was so faint I didn't really notice it

but it managed to give me goose bumps.

"So you have a plan?" I asked him as he eyed his models and looked back at me "a plan?" he

questioned as I grinned "to get your gypsy girl!", why was I trying to help him, maybe because

in some way he reminded me of how I was used to be, overly self-conscious and scared. He

turned away and mumbled as he was at a loss to find words to say as he turned and smiled and

nodded his head and said "she's so beautiful, so great..so" he jumped up on the ledge looking off

at Paris and opened wide to sing and I said "no time for singing lover boy, get back in here would

you!" I couldn't help laughing as he laughed and came back in.

Quasimodo planned to see Esmeralda no matter what the cost, deep down he truly loved her. But

there was another man close to her heart, Pheobus, the captain of the guard whose men are

ordered to rid the city streets of gypsies was fond of her and her beauty. Climbing down the side

of Notre-Dame de Paris on a rope, Quasimodo plans to see Esmeralda, while I on the other hand

need to find that keyhole. The arrow on my scroll tells me that it's on the bell, but when ever I hold

me key to it, it does nothing, I don't understand.

Making his way to find her, Quasimodo runs with great haste and a great big grin on his face to

see her again and just be around her. Searching high and low in the usually hiding spots, he sees

Esmeralda's goat Djali roaming around in a field near by, a tent shinning with the glow of candle

light. He approaches quietly, and peeks inside to find Pheobus embracing his love Esmeralda,

Quasimodo gasps and falls back and crawls picking himself up and running off, tears down his

cheeks his heart broken. Esmeralda turns to the tent opening and runs and looks outside seeing

Quasimodo running in the distance and she covers her mouth and turns away knowing he had

seen them and was obviously heart broken. Phoebus placed his hand on her shoulder "we should

go after him.." he said concerned about Quasimodo and what he may do in his saddened state.

Climbing back up into his bell tower Quasimodo sobbed, I turned to look at him "what happened!"

I asked as he slowly looked up "she loves another.." he said sobbing in between his words. Sitting

down beside him I patted his shoulder, his face was quite horrible, it was obvious Esmeralda could

never love a man so disfigured but I knew how that was, my self esteem was never quite high even

though in reality I'm a pretty good looking guy just maybe I feel ugly inside myself deep down. I guess

we all have a little Quasimodo in ourselves some where, and there's nothing more we'd love to do

than break out of ringing that bell and find true happiness.

Steps on the stairs again, my eyes widened the gargoyles turned away from Quasimodo and I ran

into the darkness of the bell tower as the door swung open. Frollo burst into the room rage in his

eyes and face as he shouted "don't think I didn't see you leave your bell tower! I saw you as clear

as day Quasimodo! AND WHAT DID I TELL YOU!" looking up shaking abit he responded

"to never leave here, that they wouldn't accept me down there...". Frowning a great big frown Frollo

said "this time..you must be punished.." and then as by command I looked on as he finished his

words a few heartless sprang from their voids in the air. They began to attack Quasimodo, Frollo

laughed and walked away closing the bell tower door and making his way down the stairs, I just

waited until I heard his steps grow distant until I sprang into attack. Dismembering the heartless

as quick as I could I turned to Quasimodo as if to hit him, my arm pulsated in pain the keyblade

felt as it were latched to me.

The keyblade faded away as I helped him up, "are you okay?" I asked as he just nodded and smiled

as I sat him down on a near by ledge and let him rest. "You can't always take this abuse from Frollo

Quasimodo, you don't deserve any of this.." I told him as he just looked at me, I could see the

uncertainty in his eyes as he lowered his head in shame.

Just then foot steps leapt up the stairs with a quick pace as the door burst open and Phoebus

ran in, "Quasimodo!" he shouted as I turned and my keyblade appeared, Quasimodo looked up

at him saddened "what is it?". Breathing loudly and trying to catch his air Phoebus began to

speak of terrible things "it's Frollo! He's kidnapped Esmeralda and I cannot get to her, these

creatures are stopping me..he's lost his mind!" we both looked at him and we knew we had to

save her. What I knew is that doing this task would probably help me some how in sealing this

world, it had seemed every world needed something to be done before you could lock it and this

seemed fitting.

We climbed down the stairs but only making it half way we were confronted by several heartless

wearing knight's armor that clanked around and seemed totally unintimidating. Phoebus swung his

sword attacking them as I slashed away with my keyblade, Quasimodo looked around in a panic

not attacking, as more heartless came up the stairs. We kept on attacking them, Quasimodo leapt

off the stairs grabbing a rope and ran along the wall and untied a rope as a chandelier fell from above

and slammed on the heartless turning them to smoke. Phoebus cheered "good job Quasimodo!" as

we continued down the stairs and it was in the main hall of the Notre-Dame de Paris that Frollo held

Esmeralda captive.

"Let her go Frollo!" Phoebus demanded, Frollo laughed and looked at Quasimodo and shouted "get

back to your tower!" and Quasimodo slowly turned fighting his own urges, he then stood his ground

and shouted back "NO! I shall not go back! Release Esmeralda!". "You dare defy me! Your both going

to pay dearly for this!" Frollo shouted as he was lifted up on the back of a giant heartless covered in

heavy knight's armor brandishing a large lance and shield, I stared on and it caught me off guard abit

but I held up my keyblade none the less. Frollo and the giant knight heartless began to come towards

us smashing the wooden pews of the church as they walked.

Phoebus ran at him and swung his sword and dodged attacks trying to destroy the heartless but he was

smacked away into the wall and knocked out. Quasimodo distracted him as I looked around and saw

several pillars on the walls, I knew it'd be bad to knock them down but it's the only way to defeat him.

Striking the pillars I fiercely tried knocking it over as Quasimodo bought me time, then it cracked and

tilted over and fell onto the heartless's head stunning him enough to lower his shield, as I began to

attack him wildly. But then he came to his senses and knocked me back, Quasimodo went back to

distracting him as I went for the next pillar and beat it till it fell over on the heartless once more. Repeating

this sequence several more times, I slammed my keyblade into the heartless and it exploded and Frollo

seemed to fade away, the heartlessness of his soul had devoured him. Esmeralda's heartless designed

cage turned to dust as she fell and was caught by Quasimodo.

Phoebus woke up and stood up and ran to Esmeralda and hugged her as Quasimodo smiled, he wanted

the best for Esmeralda and knew that the way Phoebus loves her was the best she could have. My scroll

gleamed and I pulled it out as it lead me to the stair case, and I looked up and saw the keyhole brightly

shinning on the bell and I lifted my keyblade and it shot a beam of light up into the bell and locked the

seal closing the world from the heartless.

Moving back to Quasimodo, Esmeralda, and Phoebus I smiled and said "I must go now, I have to find

my friends..". Quasimodo smiled and said "I wish you the best of luck Kevin" they smiled and I knew

everything was going to get a lot better for Quasimodo now that Frollo was gone. And as like before

the darkness surrounded me and I faded away like a heartless and I was travelling to another world.

But within the darkness something was born, a heartless unlike any other. A princess of the dark, a

wretched girl of anger, hate, and sadness. A minion of the heartless, a deceiver, a warrior, a lover.


End file.
